The OIV celebrates its centenary with a Pinot Noir Cuvée from 'Domaine Maire et Fils'

The year 2024 marks a significant milestone in the global wine community as the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV) prepares to celebrate its centennial. In a remarkable convergence of history, heritage, and science, Luigi Moio, the President of the OIV, has taken it upon himself to select a special vintage for this milestone event. The chosen wine, an Arbois Pinot Noir from the 2022 harvest, is a story of serendipity, scientific exploration, and tribute to an iconic figure in the world of wine, Louis Pasteur.

This fascinating journey begins with a thrilling discovery. Nestled in the OIV cellar were a few bottles of wine from the Vigne de l'OIV, donated three decades ago in 1994 by the esteemed winemaker, Mr. Henri Maire. This wine was grown and produced in the Arbois region, the same region that witnessed Pasteur's initial experiments in oenology. As a tribute to Pasteur, who was born 200 years ago in 1822, Professor Moio decided to orchestrate a unique blend or cuvée from the same terroir, choosing the 2022 vintage as a significant marker.

The Pinot Noir grape was chosen for this special cuvée, a decision shaped by Moio's extensive work in the field of wine aromas, especially those of Pinot Noir. Professor Moio is well-known for his post-doctoral research carried out at INRA's Laboratoire de Recherches sur les Aromes and at the Institut Universitaire de la Vigne et du Vin de l'Université de Bourgogne in Dijon, thirty years ago. In this study, he sought to identify the complex aromatic range of Pinot Noir, a grape variety often recognized by the delicate and intriguing aromas of small red fruits and accompanied by soft, silky tannins.

Entrusted with this monumental task, Professor Moio received full support from Jean-François Curie and the Boisset family, the current custodians of Domaine Maire et Fils, the vineyard known for its superb wines. They provided the professor with several parcel selections of Arbois Pinot Noir from the 2022 harvest to experiment and create his masterpiece.

After a series of tasting sessions in September 2022, March and June 2023, Professor Moio, alongside oenologist Jacques Hauller, director of the Domaine Maire et Fils site, embarked on a meticulous journey of selection. They worked harmoniously, guided by their knowledge and passion for winemaking, to create a cuvée from 30-year-old vines rooted in clay-limestone soils, a terroir that imparts unique characteristics to the wine.

On June 22, 2023, at the final sensory evaluation session, the decisive moment arrived. Amidst the oak barrels and the faint aromas of fermenting grapes, the final cuvée was identified as "H29," a symbolic notation that marks the OIV's foundation day on November 29, 1924.

The creation of this unique cuvée, which pays homage to the historical and geographical elements associated with the world of wine, has generated great excitement within the international wine community. As the OIV gets ready to uncork this specially crafted vintage in 2024, it will not only celebrate its century-long existence but also toast to the enduring legacy of Louis Pasteur and the myriad aromatic profiles that Luigi Moio and his team at the OIV have strived to understand and appreciate.

In 2024, as the OIV's centenary celebrations take center stage, the wine world will raise their glasses high with "H29" - a unique Pinot Noir cuvée that perfectly encapsulates the journey of the past century and raises expectations for the countless vintages to come.